Huelskamp, Marshall raise similar amounts in primary

Republican Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas and challenger Roger Marshall have raised similar amounts of money from individual donors heading into the Aug. 2 primary election.

The primary battle over the sprawling “Big First” district in western Kansas is the most competitive congressional race in the state this year. It has tea party and conservative causes lining up behind Huelskamp, and agricultural and business interests behind Roger Marshall, a physician from Great Bend.

Marshall had raised $442,725 from individual donors, while Huelskamp had raised $422,805 through March.

Overall, Marshall had raised more than $700,000 – including $199,000 he loaned his campaign – according to Federal Election Commission reports aggregated by the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington group that tracks campaign spending.

Huelskamp, of Fowler, had raised more than $500,000 overall.

He also had more than $800,000 in cash on hand, nearly twice as much as Marshall.

A third candidate, Alan LaPolice, a community college student retention specialist from Clyde, had raised about $15,000. LaPolice came within a few thousand votes of defeating Huelskamp in the 2014 Republican primary, but he’s running as an independent this time in the 1st Congressional District. Libertarian Kerry Burt did not report any fundraising.

Huelskamp was elected in the 2010 Republican wave that gave the party control of the House of Representatives. As an outspoken conservative, Huelskamp has often found himself crossways with Republican House leaders and the state’s agricultural interests.

In 2012, Huelskamp was removed from the House Agriculture Committee after repeated clashes with then-Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. It was the first time in a century that Kansas didn’t have representation on that panel.

After Boehner resigned last year and Republican Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin became the speaker, Huelskamp expressed optimism that the new leadership would allow him back on the committee. That has not happened so far.

In December, Huelskamp was elected to the House Steering Committee, which selects committee assignments.

The Dairy Farmers of America and the Kansas Livestock Association have endorsed Marshall. The Kansas Farm Bureau has not made an endorsement in the contest, though the group has endorsed Rep. Kevin Yoder and Sen. Jerry Moran, both Republicans, in their races.

The Kansas Contractors Association also backs Marshall.

The National Rifle Association endorsed Huelskamp in early June. He also has endorsements from Gun Owners of America, Kansans for Life and National Right to Life.

The top industry contributing to Huelskamp’s campaign committee is oil and gas, with nearly $39,000 from individuals and political action committees from the sector. Ag interests have given him $12,500.

Marshall, meanwhile, has raised nearly $33,000 from ag interests, in addition to $39,000 from the financial sector and another $39,000 from the health care industry.

Huelskamp has received $10,000 from the Koch Industries PAC. The PAC for the Wichita-based conglomerate is known for supporting conservative candidates and causes.

The race has attracted some outside spending as well. FreedomWorks for America, a tea party super PAC, has spent $47,000 on advertising to support Huelskamp. Another super PAC, Kansas Ag Communities Coalition, has spent $22,000 on ads to support Marshall.

Neither the National Republican Congressional Committee – the Republican House fundraising arm – nor the Kansas Republican Party makes endorsements in primaries. The state party’s PAC gave Huelskamp’s American Freedom PAC $5,000 in 2014.

This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Huelskamp, Marshall raise similar amounts in primary."